70 | Student Athletes and Random Drug Testing: When Can Schools Engage in Suspicionless Searches?

What happens when school safety measures collide with student rights? In this episode, we cover Vernonia School District v. Acton, a pivotal case that examines the balance between student privacy and school safety. The Supreme Court's decision on random drug testing for student-athletes raises critical questions about the Fourth Amendment and the concept of "reasonableness.” We also explore more recent developments with the Department of Education in this week’s bellringer. Check out our updated website (www.chalkandgavel.com) to sign up for our newsletter, support the show, find our episode database, and grab some merch.Interested in staying up to date on education law as an educator? Check out ELA's publication, Law and Policy in Schools, at www.educationlaw.org/lapisChalk & Gavel is supported by the Martha McCarthy Education Law & Policy Institute at Indiana University’s School of Education. The McCarthy Institute offers virtual and in-person programming to increase legal literacy. Educators, school leaders, attorneys, policymakers, professors, and others are invited to participate in interactive discussions related to contemporary issues in education law. To learn more and register to attend the 2026 Institute, visit https://education.indiana.edu/events/conferences/mccarthy-institute/index.html#EducationLaw #StudentRights #FourthAmendment #SchoolSafety #DrugTesting #SupremeCourt #Podcast #K-12 #Schools